Margareta Portman German Fancy Worker

[Mamsoth]

Hi, hope this is posted in the right place....

I've come across a Margareta Portman in the Scottish census for 1861, born around 1822. She may or may not be a relative (though she is living at number 2 drummond street, which is very close to the location of a known Portman ancestor, Joseph, who lives at 366 Castlehill).

I can't imagine there were too many Portmans in Edinburgh around that time?

Which leads me on to my question, it is on that Census that Margareta's occupation is given as "German Faney Worker". Unfortunately the actual census is not viewable so I can't see the original handwritten entry.

I'm guessing that Faney is actually Fancy so I'm wondering, what exactly is a fancy worker? and more specifically, what is a German fancy worker? Is it just a fancy worker who comes from Germany or does it refer to something specific?

Can anyone help me out?

Cheers

Matt

[Chilternbirder]

Google is no help. At a total guess perhaps something in the bakery trade based on purely on the fact that our local baker describes one type of bread roll as a "German roll".

[MonicaL]

Hi Matt and Peter

Welcome to Rootschat, Matt 

I think fancy worker is to do with needle work (embroidery etc.). The reference to German I am not sure of but a possible explanation from here maybe:

...The ladies did piecework jobs to support themselves, mostly needlework involving Berlin Wool fancy work.... http://colinlmiller.com/family/miller/george_miller-1791.htm

Monica

[MonicaL]

This is possibly Margaret in 1841:

Joseph Portman 50 spirit dealer, b. Foreign Parts
Margaret Portman 50 b Scotland
Margaret Portman 20

Address: Toddricks Wynd High Street, Edinburgh

Monica

[Mamsoth]

Thanks Peter, thats certainly a possibility. Monica, thanks for the link it looks like it will prove to be very useful indeed. I'll have to wait a while before i can look at it properly but I reckon it will be very relevant.

This is possibly Margaret in 1841:

Joseph Portman 50 spirit dealer, b. Foreign Parts
Margaret Portman 50 b Scotland
Margaret Portman 20

Address: Toddricks Wynd High Street, Edinburgh

I did wonder that myself, I do already have this Margaret in my tree and have seen the 1841 census. What makes me question whether they are the same person is that the Margaret of the 1841 Census is born 10 years earlier than the "Margareta" of the 1861 census. Could this simply be an error in transcription I wonder, hard to say without being able to read the original Census.

I've added a screenshot just in case it helps...

[eilthireach]

I'm wondering whether the original actually says garment fancy worker? You'll have to access images of the 1861 Census schedules (on <a href="http://www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk">ScotlandsPeople</a>) to see for yourself, of course ...

[Unė kthimi i papenduar]

A Margaret Portman died 17 October 1890 at 46 Couper Street, Leith.      Aged about 73 and daughter of Joseph Portman, Grocer, Wine Merchant and Margaret Morris. Advised by  Great Grand cousin Annie Cameron.    In the valuation rolls of 1885 she is listed at 57 Trafalgar Lane, Leith.

[MonicaL]

That likely ties in with this entry here for her birth https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VQCS-5Q1

Couldn't easily see her in 1851...unless she is the Maria Portman aged 28 in Edinburgh (with the age further erratic). Mary and Margaret as names are often mis transcribed where a Marg. becomes a Mary for example on transcriptions.

The original image of the page for the 1861 census available to view on the pay to view site www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk/

Monica

[Forfarian]

Unfortunately the actual census is not viewable so I can't see the original handwritten entry

The actual census is viewable, just not on whichever site you found the transcription on. I would strongly recommend looking at it because transcriptions, especially on Ancestry, are often wrong.

The original census images are available at www.scotlandspeople.gov.uk at modest cost.